Compartmented car



2 Sheets-Sheet l Samuel Porf INVENTOR.

BY A me);

April 30, 1957 s, PORT COMPARTMENTED CAR Filed DBC. ll, 1953 April 30, 1957 s. PORT 2,790,396

COMPARTMENTED CAR Filed Dec. 11, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Samuel Port IN VEN TOR.

WWW 3%4 United States Patent COMPARTMENTED CAR Samuel Port, Altoona, Pa.

Application December 11, 1953, Serial No. 397,670

2 Claims. (Cl. 105--376) This invention relates to a compartmented car and more speciiically provides a construction of a mobile transportation vehicle wherein the body may be compartrnented for use in transporting articles that require a differential temperature from that of the atmosphere.

An object of this invention is to provide a compartmented car having a plurality of compartments separated by movable sliding partitions wherein the compartments may be joined or separated as desired.

A further object of this invention is to provide a compartmented car having a hollow body portion divided into a plurality of compartments with an access door for each compartment on each side of the body.

A further object of this invention is to provide a compartmented car having a small stationary compartment for heat changing equipment at one end and having a plurality of vertically slidable partitions for separating the remainder of the car into a plurality of compartments.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a compartmented car having sliding partitions which are capable of being locked into position and which includes Ventilating means for circulation of air.

Yet another important object of this invention is to provide a compartmented car which is well insulated, easily compartmented, provided with a plurality of access doors for easier loading and well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a side elevational View of the compartmented car of this invention employed in a railroad car;

Figure 2 is a top plan section taken substantially along section line 2 2 of Figure 1 showing the arrangement of the compartment-forming partitions;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, vertical section taken substantially along the longitudinal center line of the construction of Figure l showing the details of arrangement of the sliding partitions and the guides therefor;

Figure 4 is a transverse, vertical section taken subwalls 22 and a top 24 all of which are insulated as indicated by the numeral 26 in the usual manner.

As shown in Figure 2, end walls 28 are provided which are substantially the same as the side walls 22 and extending transversely between the side walls 22 is a permanent partition 30 which is in spaced relation to one of the end walls 28. Heat exchange equipment 32 may be positioned in the small compartment formed by the stationary partition 30 and one of the side walls 22 may be provided with a door 34 for inspecting, repair and maintenance of the heat exchange equipment 32. The heat exchange equipment 32 may be either a refrigerating mechanism or heating apparatus.

As shown in Figure 1, Vthe side walls 22 is provided with a plurality of access doors 36 having hinges 38 along one vertical edge thereof and a locking hasp 40 located centrally of its other edge. A rain shield 42 in the nature ol a ledge may be positioned above each door 36 for rain protection and the like. As shown in Figure 2, the doors 36 are provided on a vertical side wall thereby Y providing access into the interior of the railroad car 10 stantially along section line 4 4 of Figure 3 showing the i details of construction of one of the sliding partitions; and

Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view showing the construction of the lower end of the sliding partition.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral 1t) generally designates a compartmented railroad car having the usual walkway 12 on the top and ladder 14 on the side. The railroad car 10 is provided with longitudinal support beams 16 and the usual wheel carriage 13 whereby the railroad car may be moved along the rails in the usual manner. The ,railroad car 10 further includes a bottom 20, vertical side from either side for facilitating the loading operation of the railroad car l0. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a plurality of foraminous screen members 44 are suspended from the top 24 of the railroad car 10 in longitudinally spaced relation thereby formingA partial partitions on the` interior of the railroad car 10. A pair of guide members 46 are positioned with a portion thereof extending below each of the partitions 44 and the guide members 46 include a vertical section 48 and a horizontal section 50 which forms a continuous path for guiding a slidable partition 52. It will be seen that each of the guide members 46 are formed of a channel-shaped member with the iianges projecting interiorly of the side walls 22. Each sliding partition 52 is constructed of a plurality of panels S4 which are horizontally hinged together by hinges 56 thereby permitting the partition 52 to progress along the guide member 46 from the vertical portion 48 to the horizontal portion 50 as the partition 52 isA raised and lowered. The lowermost panel 58 of each of the partitions 52 includes a foraminous screen member 6i) for providing ventilation from one compartment to the other. At'the lower edge of the panel 58 is secured a hasp member 62 for attachment to an eye member 64 on the floor 20 of the car 10 whereby the slidable partitions 52 may be locked into their vertical closed position by suitable padlocks 66. It will be seen that the double guides 46 and the double sliding partitions 52 which are positioned between adjoining compartments provide extra strength when in their closed position and are easily opened for providing a continuous hollow body portion for the railroad car 10.

In practical operation, the compartments may be lowered to a desired temperature and individual compartments may be opened and unloaded or loaded without disturbing the contents of the other compartments and without anyone removing material from the other compartments. Further, it will be seen that this compartmentation structure may be utilized in highway trucks, ships and any other transportation device. It is also feasible that the particular construction can be utilized in various warehouses concerned with temperature differentials in storing perishable food articles or the like. Obviously, the various elements of this construction may be formed of suitable materials which are readily obtainable thereby assuring the minimum manufacturing cost and consumer cost.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is` not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents rriay be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the @mandado-taime Y `Whaf isolement non is; as followsr 1,! A; body fon at mobils transportation 'devise oomprising sa wliotofi elongated body having side, walls, ond bottoni anda ton-forming a olosolv hollow body,` apllnolitxof: Atoncitndtnafl1s! spaced access doors in nach. offsaid Sido Walls and a. niuraty of longitudinally spaced, verticallymovable transverse partitions for dividing-Ibo. int: Lor 'of saisi body info aplnrality of compartrnnts., .said doors, providing. individual access toy each Compartimos sash idc wallboinsprovidod with o oon: tinnoostortioaland horizontal Channel shaped cuido. with the horizontal guidev ertteridi-ngy from the upper end of tho. vsttisal.. guido, osos of. Said partitions extending botyyeep Said sidewalls.. and positioned in said guides for movement from a. cortisol Closed position to a horizontai op n position, each of said sliding partitions including a pligr 'ty ofj-pivotally attached sections for permitting Said partition tof-be curved for movement from the vertical vidos to the horizontal guides, one of said. sections being constructedof--foraminous material, anda forarninonslnartiiion extending from the ton of Said body to the upperend-ofsaid vertical portion of said guides thereby forming a continuous partition when said movable partition is' closed in a vertical position.

2. A body for a mobile transportation device comprising an elongated closed body having .a bottom, a top,A end walls Iand side walls, each of said side walls trailing a pluralityof access openings with a closure door aanstaanhipngedly connected to an edge of each access opening, and" a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse 'par-- titions movably mounted'between said side walls forv dividing the interior of the body into a plurality of compartments, said access openings and door permitting access to individual compartments without disturbing the contents of adjacent compartments, each side wall having means forming a divider extension for each of said par- References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS 

